by Ivy Jordan
“I do agree,” I said as seriously as I could muster. “Men and women on the frontier knew how to use a weapon, but a lot of the time that was things like long rifles for hunting, and not for fighting random people.”
“But—”
“The Hollywood ‘high noon’ scenario,” I continued, “that we see on TV is really more fanciful than it is reality. The average quick draw holster that we see in Westerns was something that was just invented for the movies in the 1920s and not something really used by the people on the frontier. Don’t believe everything you see in movies or everything you read in books. They don’t always depict real life. Working and living on the ranch is something different altogether. It’s not about high speed, quick draws, and bandits. Quite the opposite, really. It’s about understanding the land and the animals. It’s about learning how to be self-sufficient.”
I couldn’t help but feel fairly impressed with myself at the speech. I had no idea where I had pulled that one out of, but I was so used to giving lectures at college that talking just came naturally to me. I could see that Jackson was trying to take it all in, but the pained look on his face made me think that I might’ve taken it all a bit too far. Jackson was just trying to be part of this great experience, and I didn’t want to let him down. But at the same time, I didn’t want to promise him things that weren’t really going to happen.
“About the animals you say?” he said suddenly, and I could see him instantly cheer up at whatever thought had gone into his head. “Well, I could live with that. If that’s the case, then I’m just going to have to become a master rider.”
I smiled. That was more like it. This was at least something I could work with, although I had a funny feeling that he was not going to be a great rider at all. He didn’t have to know that though. “Absolutely. That’s a great idea. I think some daily riding can be a big part of your experience here. And really, it’s one of the most important things to master. If you can master the riding part, then you can walk away with your head held high and call yourself a cowboy.”
Jackson grinned. “I’m going to be the best rider you have ever seen in your life,” he said with fierce determination.
I smiled. I couldn’t fault the guy for at least trying. “Oh, I don’t doubt it, Jackson. I don’t doubt it.”
“And the horses are coming today?” he asked.
“They sure are. Today is your lucky day.”
Jackson punched the air, thanked me, and walked off. As he walked, I could hear him whistling the main theme from The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of him. He was so far off from being a cattle man, it was hilarious. I also wondered just how much of what I had said had really sunk in. He was determined to be a cowboy, and nothing I could say was going to stop him. I laughed as I walked off. This was going to be an interesting day, that was for sure, and it was only day two.
Chapter Ten
Harper
The group had gathered together in a fenced-in area specifically for our riding lesson. I felt a bit panicked at first, and I was going to ask if I had to partake, but the fence made me feel a little better. At least I didn’t have to worry about the horse galloping off at full speed without me being able to stop it. I’d been stupid enough to look up video clips that morning and had seen a few where the horse just did its own thing. I had horrible visions of me being on a horse that simply didn’t want to stand still. What if I fell off? What if I made a complete fool of myself?
I looked around and felt a lot better suddenly. This was nothing like the videos that I had seen. They seemed to have everything under control here, and I was sure that they dealt with nervous new riders all the time. All of this actually looked very secure and very safe. At first, I just watched as a few of the guests got on the horses. I was very curious to see Jackson get up, as he was the most eager to get on. Travis and Mike helped him to climb on the horse and then Mike took him around the perimeter of the area. Jackson looked absolutely ridiculous sitting up on the horse with yet another over the top white cowboy get up. He’d even added a few elements to it so he looked even sillier than the day before. Despite this though, he wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought he was going to be. He was actually a decent rider and seemed fairly comfortable up on the horse. I wasn’t sure why but I was actually pleased that he was doing so well. I noticed one of the ranch hands taking a few photos of him, and I wondered if they would put it up on their website. If they did, then the next group that came might think that his outfit was a normal thing to wear. Other than the outfit, Jackson actually seemed calm and collected for a change. Then I heard him scream “Yee-hah!” and I laughed. So much for that.
Travis heard me laughing and came up to me with a big grin on his face.
“Funny guy,” he said.
I laughed. “Yeah. He’s hilarious. I can’t decide if he’s annoying or funny though. I keep changing my mind. Sorry, I know that’s a bit rude, but it’s the truth. I seem to move between the two feelings all the time, and I have a feeling that’s never going to go away. He seems like a decent guy though. Between you and me, I thought he was going to be terrible on a horse, but he’s not too bad.”
Travis laughed too. “Yeah, me too. I know I shouldn’t say things like that. No offense to him or anything, but he doesn’t look like the horse riding type.”
I laughed. “True.”
“You can’t fault the guy for his enthusiasm though. He’s really putting everything into this experience. I’m actually glad that he’s good at it. I would’ve felt bad if he was awful when he clearly wants to be good.”
“Unlike me, I’m guessing you’re thinking? I’m assuming you think that not all of us are putting everything into this experience,” I said and glared at him.
“That’s not at all what I said.”
“Hmm. It’s okay; you don’t have to lie. I know my attitude hasn’t really been the best. I probably haven’t been putting as much into this experience as he has. Maybe that’s why I get so annoyed with him.”
“You jealous of Jackson? I never thought I’d hear you say that,” he teased.
“Jealous might not be the right word, but maybe he does have a better attitude than most. It’s hard to think that he’s an accountant in real life. I wonder what it’s like working in the office with him.”
“I have a feeling that nobody in the office knows this side of him. Which is sort of sad in a way.”
“Yeah. I agree. Well, you thought Jackson was going to be bad at horses today. So what do you think about me? Think I have what it takes to do something like this? Because, between you and me, I’m a little terrified.” I wasn’t sure why I decided to tell him that. There was something about Travis that made me want to open up, despite the fact that he seemed to take a lot of pleasure from teasing me.
“Nah, you’ll be fine. If you’re not nervous your first time around, then there’s something wrong with you. They’re magnificent creatures, but they’re big and very daunting at first. And, to be fair, if they sense that you don’t respect them, then they’re not going to respect you back.”
My eyes widened at that. “Are you trying to frighten me?”
“Not at all. You’re going to be fine. Respect the horse; it will respect you. It’s easy. They’re wonderful creatures. You’ll see. Anyway, I get the impression that there’s not much in this world that you are bad at.”
That was nice of him to say. It was almost a little flirtatious, although I wasn’t sure if that was the way he meant it to come across. “I hope I don’t disappoint then. I might be awful at this.”
“If you are, then you’ll just practice. Now, are you ready to get on?”
“I’m not sure.” His confidence in me only made me feel more nervous. I hated making a fool out of myself in front of people. I generally only did things in life that I knew that I was good at so that I could avoid this very feeling. I was very out of my comfort zone here.
Travis smiled. “Harper, you�
�ve got this. Let me help you up. Getting on the horse is the first step. You’ll see, it’s a lot easier than you think it’s going to be. And if you really hate it, then you just don’t have to do it again.”
I let him help me up despite my nerves. I broke a nail the moment I got on and groaned.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” he asked.
“I broke a nail!” I said and showed him my finger. I thought about my lovely manicure I had gotten just before coming on the trip, and it felt like a thing of the past. I just hoped that my nails grew back quickly after this holiday. They were looking terrible at the moment.
He shook his head. “Are you serious? You’re worried that you broke a nail? I cannot believe that this was your first thought. You’re more ridiculous than Jackson. Now come on, if all you’re scared about is your nails, then you’re going to be fine. Let me take you around.”
I was surprised to find that I wasn’t as bad as I thought I was going to be. Once I got used to the smell and the feeling of being so high up, I relaxed. And the more I relaxed, the more the horse seemed to relax. I actually sort of liked the feeling of being on the horse, and I could easily see why people enjoyed it so much. I patted the horse gently to tell him that I was not a bad person and he seemed to respond well to my touch. I’d seen one of the other riders doing that, so I figured I had done the right thing. He was a sweet horse, and I was glad that he was being so good to me. I saw Trevor smiling at me.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” And why the hell was I blushing so much? I hoped he didn’t notice. I would just put it down to the heat if he said anything.
His smile broadened. “You’re a natural.”
I was? “You sound surprised.”
“That’s because I am.”
“That’s rude.”
He laughed. “Hey, I’m only telling you the truth. I knew you’d eventually get the hang of it, but I didn’t think it would happen so soon. I was very wrong, and I’m glad about that. It’s always nice to see people enjoying themselves like this. If you like this the first time, then you’ll be a good rider in no time. And the horse seems to have taken nicely to you. I think he can sense that you’re calm, which is a very good thing. This is a great start.”
I beamed. The last thing I expected was to be praised by Travis for my horse riding skills. I thought I would be horrific at it. “Well, the way I see it is that it’s sort of like being in a really nice car. Except the car just happens to have legs.”
Travis burst out laughing. “A car with legs? That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day. Well, whichever way you choose to look at it… you’re good. You should actually consider taking it up when you get back. A little time away from your busy life. I’m sure there are plenty places where you can go and ride. Honestly, Harper, I’m not just saying this, but you really are a natural up there.”
I was surprised at how much the compliment thrilled me. I wasn’t sure why I cared so much, but it was clear that I did. I guess I just wanted to prove a point. I hated people thinking of me in a certain way without getting to know me. I was glad that I had proved him wrong. Hell, I’d even proved myself wrong. “Thank you.”
“I’m also glad that you finally changed into some more sensible shoes. I don’t think you would be this good if you had worn your heels. Amusing, yes, but not good.”
I growled at him. He always followed his compliments off by teasing me. Why couldn’t he just stop when he was being nice? “This is a pity because I bought four pairs of heels with me. All absolutely gorgeous and I don’t think I’m going to get the chance to wear them.”
He laughed. “No, I don’t think that you will.”
“Oh look, there’s Jillian. Should we go say hi? Can I stay on the horse?” I said when I spotted Jillian getting on a horse with the help of Mike. “Maybe we can go around with her too. She was so excited for this.”
“Yeah sure. Oh, and the horse has a name by the way. This is Thunder.”
“Thunder? Beautiful name for a beautiful horse.”
He walked and I rode over to Jillian. I was surprised to see that she looked very rigid on the horse, like she didn’t belong there at all. Despite being the one that was the most excited for this part of the trip, she suddenly didn’t seem so sure of it anymore.
“Hey, Jillian. This is so much fun. You were right. I had no idea I would enjoy it so much. Meet my horse, Thunder. Isn’t he beautiful? I think I’ve fallen in love with him already.”
“Yeah,” she grunted. She did not look at all impressed with the situation. Sweat was pouring down her face, and she just looked frustrated.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just can’t seem to get the hang of it, that’s all. It wasn’t what I was expecting.”
“Don’t worry,” Travis said. “You’ll get there. Some people get it straight away, but others take a bit of time. There’s no right or wrong way. Just don’t be too hard on yourself. Come on, why don’t you follow Harper and me around the perimeter. I’m going to climb onto a horse too.”
Travis climbed onto his own horse, and Thunder and I followed behind him. I had to admit that there was something about a man on a horse. Especially one as good-looking as he was. Travis was good with the horse. He looked like he had been doing it his whole life, which obviously he had. I wondered what it was like for him living here. It was such a change from what I was used to. We turned a corner, and I saw him frown.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Jillian.”
I turned around and saw that Jillian had somehow managed to fall off the horse. We rushed towards her. Travis got off his horse and helped her up.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said with embarrassment. “I was lucky enough to land in this hay. I don’t know what happened. One minute I was on the horse, and the next I was on the ground.”
“So strange; that horse is actually one of the mild ones. Don’t worry about it, Jillian. These things happen. Nothing wrong with falling.”
“Jill, you okay?” I asked her.
She laughed. “Yeah, I’m fine. Well, there’s a first for everything at least.” I had to hand it to her. She was certainly being very positive for someone who had just fallen off a horse. She could’ve hurt herself too. I couldn’t help but wonder if she wasn’t right about the animals not taking to her. First, the sheep had tried to bite her, and then the horse had thrown her off. And both times the animals had been very calm and nice. She was the one that wanted to be there so badly. I couldn’t understand why they would do that to her and not to me.
“Anyway,” Jillian said. “At least I had the handsome Travis come to save me. Travis, maybe the two of us should take a break? I could use something to drink.”
From the tone of her voice, I knew she was flirting with him. Girls always had a way of taking a normal conversation and turning it into something else buy just a slight change of tone. I was sure that Travis knew too. Jillian wasn’t exactly being subtle about it. I wasn’t sure why it bothered me so much though, and I practically held my breath as I waited for him to reply.
“I’m sorry, Jillian, but I need to help out here. There is going to be a drink break soon, though, so we can all head out together. Now, I’ll get Mike to come and help you with this horse if you want to give this one more try?”
“Uh, sure. Thanks,” Jillian said. It was pretty clear from the way he had answered that he was not interested in her. As he walked off, she looked at me and shrugged.
I tried not to show her how happy I was with his answer. I tried to pretend like it was because I didn’t want her to get hurt all over again, but I was starting to realize that there was a bit more to it than that. I had to admit that I was attracted to Travis too now, and the thought annoyed the hell out of me. I didn’t want to be attracted to him. I’d had trouble in the past by going after men that were extremely good-looking, but who didn’t really click with me on any other level. I had promi
sed myself that I now wouldn’t go after a guy based purely on his looks. And, even though Travis seemed like a nice guy, he was not my type. He was gorgeous, but that was it. I wasn’t interested in being with some cowboy that knew nothing about city life, and I certainly wasn’t interested in just a holiday fling. He wasn’t interested in Jillian, and I was sure that he wasn’t interested in me too. And perhaps that was a good thing for both of us.
Chapter Eleven
Travis
“Really? You want to move to the ranch? Are you pulling my leg?”
I looked at Mike and smiled. “I’m not pulling your leg. I changed my mind. I decided that city life is no longer for me. Just being here again made me realize that this is the sort of life I want for myself.”
“Really?”
I laughed. “Really. I’m going to build a little house right on the ranch and help you out there.”
“What about your book? Your students? All those big ideas you were telling me about? What’s going to happen to all of that?”
I shrugged. “Oh, who cares about that. I’m changing my lifestyle. This is what I want. I want to be a country boy. I want to wear these boots every day and wear these clothes. I never want to go back to the city again. I’ve spent my whole life running away from this lifestyle, but I finally see that it’s what I’m meant to do with my life. It’s who I am.”
Mike grinned. “I know you’d eventually see the light. I’m so happy to have you on board. You know, dad is going to be so happy. Now, what about all the other group members? Do you think any of them are going to stay too?”
“Oh yeah. Harper is. She’s moving in with me. She’s tossing the high heels for boots and changing her lifestyle.”
“I can’t believe this, Travis. I really can’t believe this. The two of you are such unlikely people to live here. I honestly never thought I’d see the day.”
I woke up with a start and looked around the room. It took me a while to realize that I had only been dreaming and that I was still only there for a month. I wasn’t about to move to the ranch for good and give up my old life. Relief washed over me, and I chuckled to myself. I knew I’d better not tell Mike about that dream. He would never let me hear the end of it. Had I really dreamt that Harper was moving in with me? I shook my head. The whole thing was so ridiculous. I needed to take a cold shower and to rid myself of all these crazy thoughts. I hadn’t even been here all that long, and already my head was turning to mush.